Five Hundred Miles

2.3: Say my name.

Chapter 2.3: Say my name.

[Forrest Gump: She got the cancer and died on a Tuesday. I bought her a new hat with little flowers on it. And that's all I have to say about that.---Forrest Gump]

Natalie picks me up early in the morning, when the sun isn't yet too scorching for our skins. I wear a simple cotton shirt and black leggings just to make myself comfortable, and we head to the hospital.

The hospital is not far away from Gideon's house, only a few minutes away if the road is clear of traffic. It's early, so there aren't too many people visiting the patients. I follow Natalie into the corridor without a word as she leads me to where Amanda is at.

Before we reach the door, old Mr.Kirkus awaits outside, looking at his clock watch occasionally. It hurts just to see him alone and lonely, hair all white. He notices Natalie and I, and cracks us a small smile.

"Maple," he greets, standing up with his enormous belly as a shield.

"Mr.Kirkus," I say, not knowing anything else to add on.

"She's been waiting for you, for four days." Mr.Kirkus gives me a silly look. His smile is grim, and his body is shaking. Natalie reaches out and steadies her father. Mr.Kirkus holds a hand and nods at her, giving her a silent note that he'll be okay. When he looks at me, his grey eyes are filled with such depths that I wonder how much he's been through these days. "About the operation, I thank you and Gideon Camerons. One day, after everything, we should sit down and have a nice chat about it. My pay."

I try to smile, but my smile makes me teary, so I scrap the idea of it. Instead, I nod stiffly. "Sure,"

"Take a look at her," Mr.Kirkus shifts his body to the side, allowing me to catch a glimpse of Amanda's limp body lying on the bunk through the small section of glass. I quickly look away, clamping a hand on my mouth before I do anything stupid.

Amanda is pale. So very pale that I almost don't recognize her.

"I'll leave the both of you to your girl things," Mr.Kirkus says dismissively, waving a finger as he turns and walks away with Natalie beside him.

I swallow my tears hard, wiping them away before anymore comes to fall again.

I knock three times before entering the other side of atmosphere.

"Maple," Amanda croaks, putting effort into sitting up. I quickly grab hold of her hands, helping her by shifting the pillow higher so she has cushion under her spine. "Maple, where have you been?"

"I've been away for the last few weeks. A lot of things to catch up with my new job," I lie. Amanda smiles at me cheekily, and I know that she can tell that I'm not being honest with her.

"I heard about Gideon Camerons. Thank you, Maple." She says, truthfully without cracking a smile. But when she smiles, it's genuine and it cuts deep into my heart. I will always remember her smile.

"It's not a problem, Amanda." I say in my most comforting voice. "You looked out for me when I first came into New York, this is nothing worth bringing up."

Amanda smiles again. "That's when I was strong enough to. Now, after my fall," She nudges me with her injured leg, and I chuckle ruefully. "I should really calm myself down. Who knows what's inside me until a few days ago?"

But that's different. A few days ago, before Amanda knows about her situation, she still believes that she's as fine as an ox. But after knowing about it, she becomes weaker than ever. It's still the same Amanda I'm seeing, but with different convictions about her own body health.